Yes. Residential elevators can be added to many existing homes. The best option depends on the home's layout, available space, number of floors, and how much construction the homeowner wants to take on. Traditional elevators may require a new hoistway, while through-floor and pneumatic elevators can often be installed with fewer structural modifications.

Can You Add a Residential Elevator to an Existing Home? | ROC Elevators — ROC Elevators

The amount of space needed depends heavily on the type of elevator. A traditional residential elevator generally requires a dedicated hoistway, while through-floor and pneumatic elevators can fit into much smaller areas. For a traditional elevator, ROC Elevators typically recommends planning around a 60" × 60" hoistway when possible, although exact requirements vary by equipment and configuration.

The timeline depends on the type of elevator, the home, permitting, equipment lead times, construction, electrical work, and inspections. Once the site is ready and the elevator equipment is onsite, most residential elevator installations take approximately 2–5 days. More complex installations may require additional time.

Shaftless elevators are often the easiest option to add to an existing home because they typically require less space and construction than a traditional elevator. However, depending on the location, size, and type of elevator selected, the construction required can become more complex. That’s why it’s important to have a builder evaluate the space early in the planning process to determine what will work best for your home. 

ROC Elevators

Yes. Many residential elevators can accommodate wheelchairs, scooters, and other mobility devices. Because sizes vary, we recommend taking measurements of your wheelchair or scooter so we can help select the appropriate elevator and cab size. When possible, it’s also helpful to plan for these needs early so your builder can accommodate the necessary space during construction.

For traditional residential elevators, ROC Elevators builds our elevator cabs onsite, which gives us greater flexibility to adjust the cab dimensions when additional space is needed and the hoistway allows. If space is limited, there may also be options such as adding a fold-down seat inside the elevator cab, making transfers between floors easier without requiring the mobility device to travel inside the elevator.

Yes. It’s always best to start planning for a residential elevator as early as possible. Getting your elevator company involved during the design phase allows your plans to be reviewed before construction begins and gives your builder time to accommodate the space and requirements for the elevator.

Even if you aren't ready to install an elevator right away, stacked closets can be incorporated into the home’s design on each floor to reserve space for a future elevator. The closets can be used normally until you're ready for the elevator, while helping preserve a suitable location between floors.

Planning early also allows the elevator company and builder to coordinate important details such as hoistway size, pit and overhead requirements, electrical needs, door locations, and equipment space—helping avoid costly or difficult changes later in construction.

A traditional residential elevator travels inside a dedicated hoistway and generally offers more flexibility in cab size, finishes, door configurations, and number of floors served. What are commonly called shaftless elevators including through-floor and pneumatic designs—typically require less dedicated construction and can be a good option for existing homes or spaces where a traditional hoistway isn't practical.

At ROC Elevators, we look at the home's layout, accessibility needs, number of floors, and homeowner's goals to help determine which style makes the most sense for the project.